The More Things Change
by Secret Space Mouse
Summary: Understanding that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, Keith and Allura put duty ahead of their personal desires and go their separate ways at the end of the war. Written for the KAEX Summer 2017 Gift Exchange. Note: Chapters 7&8 uploaded
1. The Start of the End

**The More Things Change**

By Yoshidoki

Kaex Gift Exchange Prompt: Introspective Allura considers all she has lost, family, friends and nearly her whole world and how being Blue Lion's pilot has helped fill that void

 **Chapter 1: The Start of the End**

 _Three Years Ago_

Nodding cordially at well-wishers, Keith slowly made his way to the edges of the ball room. For once, it wasn't very difficult to escape the festivities. The Farewell Ball that Nanny had insisted on holding to honor the Force was still going on. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was playing and all the guests were still busy celebrating.

Force of habit had him doing one final check on his team.

Lance, who would be travelling with him back to Terra, was busy with the women who flocked around the Force. Keith had no doubt that his former second officer was on the lookout for a companion willing to offer him… consolation.

Pidge and Hunk - the dynamic duo, as he had come to think of them - had taken a position by the refreshment tables and were busy talking. It would be quite an adjustment for the young space explorer. A teenager when they arrived, he had grown up on Arus. Perhaps that was why he had decided to spread his wings and take advantage of the peace to take up further studies before returning to the planet that had become his home.

Hunk had resigned his commission and would be the only Space Explorer left on Arus. He had never been happy as a cog in the machine of Garrison bureaucracy. The position Allura had offered him - Captain of the Guard - suited him to a T. He very much prefered providing support on-planet and working directly with people.

It wasn't difficult to find Sven. As usual, the quiet Space Explorer was dancing with Princess Romelle. There had been no question about his interest in ever returning to Terra. He had none. For Sven, home was Romelle was.

Keith's eyes narrowed as he realized that there was only one blonde princess in the ballroom. Doom had been defeated and there was nothing more to fear from Lotor, but he could not help but worry about his Princess.

Keith found Allura on the balcony of her quarters, staring out into the night sky. She was still dressed in her ballgown and while Keith appreciated how beautiful she looked in it, he knew that the thin material would not keep her warm in the biting cold of the fall night.

She jumped as he draped his jacket over her shoulders. "I thought we agreed, you shouldn't be here. Not anymore," she said, furtively wiping away tears.

"Force of habit," he said, forcing cheer into his voice. "You weren't in the ballroom so I worried."

"I didn't feel very festive," she said quietly, looking down at the Lion key she held in her hand. "There were so many people there. I didn't want to have to pretend."

"I wish I didn't have to go," Keith said, confessing what was he had realized a long time ago. "I wish things could have been different."

"They are what they are," Allura said pragmatically, raising her eyes to his. "You have your duty and I have mine." Her fingers traced the raised edges of her Lion key. "I wish I could say to hell with it, and forget what I am… who I am, but I can't. I need to stay here on Arus. My people need me." Her voice broke and tears began to fall, "I only wish they didn't."

With aching gentleness, Keith gathered Allura into his arms. Without a word, she turned her face into his chest and wept. Keith had seen her cry many times before- far too many for his liking- but never like this.

He picked her up and carried her inside. He started to head for her bedroom, but the shadowy refuge held too many dangerous memories. Quiet laughter, whispered dreams, shared secrets, unspeakable pleasures. Things that had been and could never be again.

He opted for a settee in her sitting room instead. He lay back against the cushions, cradling his Princess against him and felt the force of her sobs. They shook her slender body with such violence that Keith thought they would surely tear her apart. He stroked the rumpled silk of her hair, while he punished himself with her tears. None of the physical punishments he had ever experienced - and there had been many! - had been as painful as this.

He was a top flight pilot, a master of unarmed combat and a military strategist renowned for his vision and creativity and he was powerless. He closed his eyes, realizing that while he had been able to pull the fat out of the fire more than once over the course of his career, now, when it really mattered, his hands were tied.

"I'm so sorry, Princess," he said, whispering a kiss onto the top of her head as she fell into an exhausted slumber. He stared at the ceiling. He saw her as she had been when they first met, a fairy-tale princess in the ruins of a deserted castle. He remembered her determination to fly the blue lion, the joy she found in the simplest things, and the dazed dreaminess that only he had seen.

Closing his eyes, he breathed in the elusive scent of her: flowers, vanilla and something unique to Allura and leaned back against the cushions to watch her sleep. Because that he knew that this would be the last time that he would ever hold her, let alone see her again.

"Don't do this. You will break her heart."

Keith's hand went to his blaster at the unexpected sound of Nanny's voice. Unwanted intrusions of the female kind were never pleasant. He honestly could not say if he would have rathered deal with Haggar the Witch, his last unwanted visitor, or Allura's former governess.

Perhaps being out of sorts was a blessing. In his regular frame of mind, with his guard up and all his facilities about him, he would have defaulted to the defensive behavior ingrained into him by training and the caution that came from years of living with a huge bounty on his head. Shoot first and ask later.

But then again, had he done so, if nothing else, he could count on not being able to leave as planned. Stunning a senior member of the Castle Staff would have definitely led to an internal investigation, which would have become a long and protracted ordeal once the media caught wind of it.

He prayed that it wouldn't occur to Nanny to ask where he had been. Although she and the others knew how he and Allura felt about each other, no one knew just how far they had taken their relationship. Their lives were public enough as it was. They guarded what privacy they had fiercely. What they shared together was too personal, too precious to share.

"She loves you. More than you know," the Princess' former governess continued, wringing her hands.

"As I do her," Keith said solemnly. "I'm taking the decision out of her hands. She shouldn't have to choose between me and Arus… I've read all the documents, Nanny. If Allura is to ascend to the throne, she needs to marry someone of equal rank… I'm a pilot, not an aristocrat. My only rank is a military one, I have no title to offer her."

"Give it some time," Nanny urged. She gestured to the open rucksacks on Keith's bed. "Even if she does marry that prince Paulus, after she produces an heir and a spare, the two of you can ..."

"History would not look kindly on that," Keith interrupted. "When they look back on her reign someday, I don't want them to focus on scandals and her personal life. Allura has done so much for Arus already. Her accomplishments deserve to be recognized."

"When she ascends the throne, Allura can issue letters patent and make you a peer. Many titles have reverted to the Crown…"

"It's a Catch-22, situation, Nanny," Keith said. "A prince could do that, but Princesses of Arus cannot ascend the throne without being married… And Allura cannot implement any changes to the rules of succession or name any peers without being crowned, which won't happen until she's married."

Nanny looked at him with sorrow in her eyes. "And that is why you're leaving. You will not be swayed."

Keith nodded. He had analyzed the situation back and forth endlessly over the past months and could find no other solution. "I can't stand by and see her forced to marry someone. Watch her forced to lie with him and bear his children… " Talking about feelings was difficult for him at the best of times, but Nanny had their best interests in mind and she deserved to understand why he was leaving. "I wouldn't be able to bear it. I'd be jealous. And I'm afraid that in time all the hurt would build and the love would turn to hate."

"You're as stubborn as she is," Nanny exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"She is stronger than you give her credit for, Nanny. She will move on. She will survive and she will thrive." Keith picked up the framed pictures on his desk and tucked them into his rucksack before turning to Nanny once more. "I know I don't have to ask this of you, you've been doing it since before she was born, but-"

"So as long as I draw breath, I will take care of her." Nanny murmured, before drawing him close into a warm maternal embrace. Drawing back, she affixed him with an imperial glare, "And so, I will ask you for a favor in return. Promise me that for her sake, you will care for yourself too."

Keith bowed slightly, "as you wish, my lady."

"Impertinent scoundrel," Nanny scolded him. Affectionate tones colored the voice that had once been full of disdain. "I can't believe I will actually miss you." She headed for the door and had almost reached it when she stopped and turned back to him. "Keith… this situation, intolerable as it may be, is only temporary. Allura is your destiny and Arus is your home. You may not think so, but mark my words, you will return."


	2. Something Borrowed Something Blue

**Chapter 2: Something Borrowed, Something Blue**

 _Three Years Ago_

The Princess' suite was a hive of activity. The maids bustled to and fro, with Nanny directing their every move. Years of work had gone into the planning of this day, and although the groom, Paulus of Palomar, was not who Nanny would have chosen for the Princess, the people of Arus needed a reason to celebrate. Nanny was determined that she would not let them down.

The Princess herself sat quietly in front of her dresser while her hairdresser affixed her formal tiara and carefully began tame her exuberant curls into a dignified chignon. The only movements Allura made were to fidget with something she held in her lap.

This was the scene that Romelle, Princess of Pollux saw as she entered her cousin's suite.

Nanny looked up as Romelle entered. Her eyes widened with alarm and dismay at whatever she saw over Romelle's shoulder. "Oh, for heaven's sake, must they…. you would think those girls would know better by now," the matron muttered, dashing off with her ever present clipboard in hand.

Lucrezia, the countess who served as Palomar's Special Envoy watched the proceedings with languid eyes. Try as she might, Romelle found it impossible to warm to the woman. She couldn't pinpoint what it was, but something about Lucrezia made her uneasy.

"The Princess needs more makeup. She is much too pale and there are dark rings under her eyes. I will not have my Prince embarrassed by delivering his bride to him looking anything less than her best."

Romelle's eyes flashed with outrage at the sheer nerve of the woman. Special Envoy Lucrezia may be, but she had not earned the right to speak so frankly about a Royal Princess. Her gall was unthinkable.

The Princess of Pollux drew herself up to her full height and summoned up the regal arrogance that was her armor at Court. "I wish to speak to my cousin. Leave us."

A single raised eyebrow was all she needed to silence any and all protests that Lucrezia may have made. The countess' dark eyes snapped with resentment but royal commands were not to be disregarded lightly.

Allura's blue eyes met Romelle's own in the mirror for a brief moment. "Thank you," she said simply, placing the key to the Blue Lion on her dresser. "I was working my way up to doing that."

"Well, I'm sorry to deprive you of that pleasure." Romelle laughed lightly.

"Oh, there will be many more opportunities to tell her off, I'm afraid," Allura sighed. "Paulus asked me to appoint her as my Lady-of-the-Bedchamber."

"What?! But why?"

Allura shrugged. "To make it more convenient, I would suppose." She paused and looked up at her cousin, "You do know that she's Paulus' mistress, right? She has been for a while. That's why his grandmother ordered him to marry me. The relationship was a bit too scandalous for Palomar society"

"Really? How stereotypical of him to hide his paramour amongst his wife's ladies-waiting," Romelle drawled. "Well, you're not marrying him for his creativity."

Allura sighed and picked up the key to the Blue Lion, worrying it with her fingers once again. Bleak sadness flashed across her face. "Right. I'm marrying him because he has a title, he's convenient and he agreed to all my prenuptial conditions."

Romelle softened with sympathy. Allura's life was what her own would have been, had she not been so publicly besmirched by Lotor. She reached out and held Allura's hand. "For what it's worth, I wish things had worked out differently."

"Me too… but we made our choices and I need to live with them now," Allura whispered, her voice breaking. Romelle could tell that her cousin was trying to hold back tears so she pulled Allura into a tight hug and cried the tears that her cousin would not.


	3. 525,600 Minutes

**Chapter 3: Five Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes**

 _In The Present_

Although Allura was trained to fly the Black Lion, on the rare occasions when she could take to the air, it was the Blue she gravitated to. It was in the Blue that she did her best thinking. Living as she did in a Castle surrounded by servants and courtiers, the cockpit of the Blue Lion was perhaps the only place on Arus where she could be alone.

It was at these times that Allura felt the magic that ran in the Lions, when she could easily imagine them alive. With no plan in mind, she let the Blue Lion take her where it would.

They flew into the silence of the night for a timeless eternity, until night broke into day. They flew over rolling green fields covered with wildflowers, the woods now abundant with life and homes where people no longer knew fear or hunger.

She had helped make this happen. She fought for it and literally bled for this peace. The chance to do so, to be part of the Voltron Force, was something she was deeply grateful for.

The cockpit of the Blue was where she had come into her own. Grown from a girl into a woman. Grown into the leader Arus needed her to be. In the Blue, she had learned to fight her own battles, instead of the being the helpless damsel in distress Arussian princesses were expected to be and proven to people she was more than just a pretty face.

She drew encouragement from the quiet purring of the Lion's engines and prayed for the strength to continue. The people of Arus looked up at her and depended on her. As queen, she was the living symbol of the faith and hope that had carried them through the darkest of days.

A quiet blip on her sensors broke into Allura's introspection and brought her crashing back into the present. The instincts honed by battle were still sharp and had not faded despite the years of peace.

"Hey, Blue," Hunk's voice called, as he triggered the inter-lion video system. "Sorry to interrupt your alone time, I know you don't get it often enough, but I'm getting hungry."

She smiled fondly. "Hunk, you're always hungry."

"Well… yes. But you know, it's breakfast time somewhere and I managed to convince Nanny to pack a few snacks for us…. Come on… let's land somewhere? I could eat in Yellow but you know I don't like getting crumbs in the cockpit. The lazy bastards in the engineering crew never manage to vacuum everything up."

Allura quirked a golden eyebrow at him. "My, you are getting rather fastidious, aren't you? What next- are you going to get a haircut and give up your headband? Nanny would be so proud. Dare I say you're finally getting the idea of neat and clean?"

The horrified shudder on Hunk's face was enough to make her giggle.

Hunk watched Allura nibble on a piece of cheese and understood why Nanny had been so concerned. Always slender to begin with, Allura had lost weight and it didn't look like she would gain it back anytime soon. The space mice ate more than she did.

"So, I heard from a little bird that you got sent to Doctor Gorma."

"A little bird as forceful as a hurricane?" Allura shot him a reproachful look. "You, of all people should know that Nanny worries too much... Oh, are those the grapes from Eugani? They're supposed to be really sweet this year. The farmers were happy about the warm days and cool nights, you know."

"Good try, but don't think you can distract me with food," Hunk scolded, passing the grapes and keeping some for himself. "I'm not the only one who's noticed... You've been tired a lot, you're losing weight. And I've heard the maids talking about the nosebleeds you get at night."

"There's really nothing to worry about," Allura dismissed his concern with a smile as she popped a few grapes into her mouth. "I've been working too hard. I just need to slow down for a bit."

Hunk's expression darkened. He was one of the few people on Arus who knew Allura well enough to see behind the mask she regularly wore and he could see the disquietude she kept carefully hidden. The way she ran her fingers over the surface of the Blue Lion key was a tell. It was something she often did when she was nervous.

"Princess." Hunk drawled, covering her hand with his own to get her attention. "Ol' Buddy, Ol' Pal, what did Gorma say? I'd rather hear it from you straight… Otherwise, Coran, Nanny and I will pull our need to know routine with Doctor Gorma and get him to tell us."

"I think I liked it more when you and Nanny were at odds. It was easier to manage," Allura complained, pulling her hand away.

Hunk set his jaw and waited her out. He knew her too well. Allura was a peacemaker at heart and hated being at odds with those she considered family. She would talk, sooner or later. He just had to wait it out. He let the uncomfortable silence drag on while he finished several handfuls of grapes, half the cheese and all the crackers and charcuterie.

Finally, Allura threw in the towel. "Oh alright." She sighed heavily, "It might be skyfall. My symptoms and medical history point to it but Dr. Gorma thinks some things are atypical. He wants to run a few a few tests to make sure."

"Oh shit." Hunk's brows drew together. While many people had died from the thermal effects and direct exposure within the first few weeks of Zarkon's initial bombardment, Arussian scientists were only now discovering the long term effects of the ionizing radiation. Skyfall disease was the most common. Everyone he talked to knew of at least one person who suffered from it. There were many things he wanted to ask, but he settled for the most obvious. "How are you doing? You okay?"

"Physically, as well as can be, I suppose." Allura said, considering his question at length. "But I'm scared… I'm trying very hard not to panic. I keep telling myself that we don't know for sure…."

"I call bull." Hunk said gruffly. "Look Princess, you can put up your Queen shield for everyone else, but this is me you're talking to." Never a very demonstrative man, he draped an arm around Allura and gave her an awkward hug, conscious of how fragile her frame seemed. "You're right, I'm left. I'll hold the weight when you can't. You know that, right?"

He felt more than saw the confused look she turned on him before she leaned into him for a moment.

"Right. I mean left, oh you know what I mean…" Allura's laugh was weak and her eyes were moist as she hugged him tightly. "Hunk? Thank you for being here. Having you around means a lot to me. More than you know."

Hunk forced a smile. "Look, You concentrate on getting better. Do that positive thinking mystical crap you do… And try not to worry. You have people who love you. We've got your back."


	4. Back at the Beginning

**Chapter 4: Back at the Beginning**

 _In The Present_

There was no quantifiable way to measure it, but Keith could feel the shift in energy as the battlegroup he commanded approached the Garrison base on Terra's moon. Their deployment, although standard for a deep exploration tour, had been a relatively long one- almost 3 years. In deference to the old naval tradition of manning the rail, his crew stood their last watch in their dress uniforms.

"Moored. Shift colors!" he ordered once the command ship reached its docking bay. He watched his communications officer switch the status of the ship's navigation beacon before issuing his next set of orders. "Prepare to disembark. Prioritize first kiss and new parents for planet-bound shuttles."

He bit back the familiar pang of regret and envy. The anticipation of his crew for the reunion with their loved ones was almost tangible. Pushing aside thoughts of what once had been and could have been if things been different, he turned to his. duty to distract him.

He gave the instrument displays a cursory glance, watching the diagnostics scroll by. The tests took a few minutes to run, so he occupied himself by making sure that all was as it should be. Once his panel flashed green, he issued his final order. "End mission tape."

Standing up, he turned to his crew, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome home. It has been an honor serving with you." Raising his hand to his forehead, he offered them all a salute before stepping off the bridge.

"Well, I'll be a Space Mouse's uncle… you sure have those guys trained. Kinda stepford-ish. Didn't you find it boring?"

Keith turned at the familiar voice. "Lance! I almost didn't recognize you with your uniform on."

Lance laughed and thumped Keith's back. "Welcome back, dude! I was going to wear my leather jacket, but I needed to dress all official-like today."

A single black eyebrow shot skyward. "Official? Who are you and what have you done with Lance McClain?"

Lance shook his head with a wry grin before becoming serious. He reached into his pocket and handed Keith a sealed envelope. "Commodore Kogane, I have your next set of orders. The Voltron Force is being reactivated. We are to deploy to Arus immediately."

"Hey Chief!" Pidge greeted Keith merrily as he boarded the fractal that was to take them back to Arus. "Your bags are onboard already. I hacked into the baggage system and had them sent priority one to this docking bay."

Keith's eyes narrowed. "Alright, I understand why we couldn't talk about this outside, but could someone please tell me what's going on?"

Pidge adjusted his glasses and looked at Lance, "We'd better get going. I'll have the pilots start up the engines and let Hunk know we're on our way. He wants us back on Arus ASAP."

"Coward!" Lance called out to Pidge's retreating back. "Hunk's your best friend, you should be doing the briefing."

"That may be the case, but Keith is yours. And now, if you'll excuse me, the Captain of the Royal Guard is in a testy mood. I owe him a status report. He's been calling every hour on the hour... It's almost like the time Dr. Gorma had him fast for twelve hours." Pidge shot back.

"Lance," Keith drawled, using a familiar note of command. "Talk to me, what's going on?"

"Give me a few minutes, I need a drink." Lance put ice into a glass and poured a few fingers of amber colored liquid into it. He considered it for a moment before fixing another one. "Actually, you might need one too."

Handing Keith a glass, he drank deeply from his own. "We're being recalled because of some ongoing political developments on Arus. Allura's… ill. Initial signs point to something called Skyfall disease."

Pidge reentered the cabin and took up the explanation. "Arussian scientists are still trying to pinpoint an exact cause, but for now, the working theory is that long-term exposure to the ionizing radiation from Zarkon's initial bombardment caused some cells to mutate." Seeing the look on Keith's face, he hurried to offer what reassurance he could. "It's not sure yet. Doctor Gorma's running tests as we speak.

"What tests?" Keith managed to ask.

Pidge's eyes were sympathetic. "A bone marrow biopsy, a lymph node biopsy and lumbar puncture."

"Hunk doesn't think it'll turn out to be skyfall though. " Lance interjected. "Being on Arus, he's seen a lot of Skyfall and something doesn't quite sit well with him. She has the symptoms, yes, but remember, Coran got Allura into the caves before the bombardment started. She was shielded from most of the radiation."

Pidge explained further. "He has a feeling it's another assassination attempt but he can't prove it. And if he is right, then the assassin is closer to Allura than he'd like… It doesn't help that Allura's been involved in more accidents than normal… People think that she's been distracted ever since Paulus died, but that's not like the princess."

"Wait, Paulus, Allura's husband? He's dead?" Keith asked.

Lance nodded. "Going on two years now. Horseback accident. He and Allura were supposed to go on a ride, but something happened at the last minute and she ended up staying behind. Paulus thought her horse needed some exercise and decided to take it out instead of his own. Something spooked it, it bolted and he fell and broke his neck."

He paused to take a sip of his drink, "Allura would have been on that horse, SHOULD have been on it, but Nanny raised a fit about something and Allura decided not to go… Never thought I'd be grateful for one of Nanny's episodes. Sucks for Paulus though," Lance continued.

"The cinch on that fancy saddle only she uses snapped," Pidge said. "It looked like normal wear and tear, but… you know Allura… she's not very comfortable on horseback. Makes sense when you think about how she had to hide in the caves…"

"Yeah," Keith agreed. "She got it when we were there and saddles are supposed to last… 15 years or so? There's no way she'd wear it out even if she rode every day… And I don't think she'd do that." He ran his hands through his hair as he often did when he was anxious. "So we're back at the beginning… like during the war- With Allura as the last living member of the Royal Family, Arus' throne is up for grabs if something happens to her."

Lance and Pidge exchanged uneasy glances. "Ummm… Not exactly, Allura has a son."

Keith blinked, stunned by the revelation. He reached for his glass and took a healthy drink.

"Acair's two…two and a half." Lance continued when Keith would have spoken. He took another sip of his drink and studied Keith carefully. "Interesting name though… it sounds almost familiar."

"My grandfather's name was Akira." Keith said faintly. "When I was a kid, I'd spend summer vacations with him. He died while we were in the Academy." Putting down his glass before he dropped it, he breathed deeply, feeling nausea close at hand. "Nanny was right. I shouldn't have gone. I abandoned her when she was pregnant? What sort of fucked up idiot does that?!"

Lance clicked his tongue. "Look, you made a call then. You did what you thought was best. It turned out it to be the wrong one. Shit happens to the best of us. Now, the big question is, you have the rest of your life ahead of you- what are you going to do now?"

Lance's question weighed heavily on Keith's mind during the long hours it took travel to Arus. What was he going to do, what was he going to say?

How would Allura react when she saw him … and he when he saw her for that matter? Their time apart had been a long and lonely period for him.. and not because of the length of his deployment. If he wanted to, he would not have lacked female companionship. There had been many opportunities- shore leaves at Garrison colonies and encounters with other ships - so he tried, dating woman after woman in an attempt to feel something – anything – close to what he had with Allura… but none had come close.

Conversations hadn't been easy. Some had been too quiet, others too talkative. Some were as dumb as a brick and while others were overly intellectual. The brunettes were too dark, the redheads too bright, the blondes too brassy. No one had been right.

She was the one. The only one.

He stared down at the picture Pidge had thought to bring him- a candid shot of Allura playing with the baby. He couldn't quell the curl of his upper lip and the tic of his eye as he saw the brilliant smile on Allura's face as she touched the chubby cheeks of their son.

She would be a wonderful mother. If his son inherited even half of her intelligence, compassion and spirit, the boy would be a force to be reckoned with. Keith could only hope that Allura's reckless courage would be tempered by his own caution and reserve.

The thought of how life would be for Acair without Allura to love and guide him was something that filled him with dread. Even though their time apart, Allura was the yardstick by which he measured all that was good in his life… and all the good he hoped to do. She was hope and passion, laughter and love.

Pushing away his morbid thoughts, Keith channeled his nervous energy into something more productive- learning about Skyfall. It wasn't something people talked about three years ago and he wanted to know what to expect if Hunk was wrong. What he did learn was enough to give him nightmares. The early stages were easily managed, but by the end, the constant pain made patients mere shadows of themselves.

With a muffled curse, he slammed the data tablet he was using down with enough force to crack the screen. Using his peripheral vision, he could see Lance eyeing him with some concern and breathed a sigh of relief when Lance opted stay quiet.

He wasn't in the mood for talking. Not now. The stars were aligning and his impossible dream was becoming more and more possible. All he needed to do was find a way to make it so.


	5. Deja Vu All Over Again

**Chapter 5: Deja Vu All Over Again**

 _In The Present_

In Palomar, it was a custom for the Royal Family to gather in a drawing room for drinks and hors d'oeuvres before dinner. Paulus instituted the practice soon upon his marriage to Allura, ostensibly to learn more about his new homeworld by engaging dignitaries and other notables in a more casual environment.

In her more uncharitable moments, Romelle thought that the reason the Palomarians drank was to deal with the reality of having Lucrezia around. She always had wondered if the distance between Arus and Palomar had been a contributing factor in having Lucrezia assigned as a special envoy. Personally, she felt that the farther away she was from Lucrezia, the better!

She noticed Coran's eyes light up with relief as she entered the room. He stood up with a spry energy that most people seemed to develop after spending some time with Lucrezia and quickly approached her. "May I offer you a drink, Your Highness?"

"What do you suggest?"

"Perhaps a Martini? I would recommend taking it bone dry." Coran said, shooting a sidewards glance at the Palomarian countess, who was vigorously stating her opinion about the lack of culture in the Azure Quadrant.

"That sounds… lovely," Romelle said, smiling sympathetically at the Arussian minister. "Are you having one too?"

"No, I thought I would have a brandy neat. Strong spirits seem oddly appropriate this evening, but then again, ever since Paulus started this blasted ritual, fortifying myself with brandy seems to be the only way I can make it through the night."

Romelle laughed lightly as she accepted the drink Coran offered. She inclined her head towards her cousin, who was sitting quietly, listening to Lucrezia drone on. "How does Allura stand her?"

Coran smiled wryly. "I taught your cousin for many years. Unfortunately, of all the things I attempted to teach her, the one skill she perfected was how to feign interest while not listening to a word at all."

"You had great foresight. That is a vastly underrated survival skill in our lives. I only wish my tutors had been as forward-thinking." Romelle lifted her glass to salute her cousin's former guardian. "Why is Lucrezia still here? I would have expected Allura to send Lucrezia back to Palomar by. After all, with Paulus gone, there's nothing keeping her here."

"Palomar won't have her," Coran sighed. "The Queen of Palomar still hasn't forgiven her for leading her grandson astray… and well, on his deathbed, Paulus made Allura promise that Lucezia would always have a home on Arus."

"At least he provided for his mistress," Romelle said. "Not many in his position would."

"Paulus was a decent man and well, there was true affection there," Coran snorted. "On his part at least. I have yet to see evidence that that woman has the capacity to care for something other than herself, her position, her amusements, and the privileges accorded her."

Romelle's eyes flashed with laughter. Coran was always a delight to talk to, now that he accepted that she and Allura were women grown. His wry observations were the only thing she looked forward to during the odious social occasions that had become the norm on Arus after Allura married Paulus… after the Force disbanded and scattered across the universe.

"Oh, Princess. I didn't notice you," Lucrezia said as she dipped into a perfunctory curtsey that somehow managed to be insolent. "Your husband is not with you? I do so look forward to seeing him… you don't mind sharing him, do you? I have need of his… experience."

The lascivious smile on Lucrezia's face had Romelle seething but any retort she may have made was hushed by Allura's cold voice. "Countess Lucrezia, although you are a Lady of the Bedchamber, your duties are to provide companionship and assistance. You are being too familiar. My cousin is a Princess of the Blood and deserves to be addressed as such. You are also disrespecting her husband, to whom Arus will be forever indebted."

Had Romelle not been watching Lucrezia closely, she would have missed it. Fury twisted the Palomarian Countess' face for a brief instant before it was replaced with her usual air of sophisticated ennui. The contrition on Lucrezia's face as she turned to Romelle would have been convincing, had Romelle not seen the hate she kept hidden. "I spoke out of turn, Your Highness. I am truly sorry." She turned to Allura and dipped into a respectful curtsey, "Your Majesty, would you excuse me? I would like to meditate about speaking out of turn."

Quietly acknowledging Coran as he offered his excuses as well, Romelle waited until the doors closed before she turned to her cousin. She was concerned. Allura had been unusually restrained. Her cousin's anger was never cold. It was fiery and explosive, especially when she felt that those she loved were not being given the respect they deserved. Allura must be more fatigued than she let on.

Romelle waited until the doors closed behind Lucrezia and Coran before turning to her cousin. "Are you alright? I can't imagine that it would be wise for you to be up and about?" She looked at Allura closely for a long moment and answered her own question. "I suspect no, judging by the amount of makeup you have on. Excellent work on the no makeup makeup, by the way. I've never quite managed to pull it off myself."

Allura rolled her eyes and sat back down. "I'm just tired but I'll be fine. There's really no point in worrying until we know if there's something to worry about. And we won't know anything until the day after tomorrow or so… Hunk is just being Hunk and is over-reacting."

"Darling, you do realize that of all the boys, Hunk is the LEAST likely to over-react? In fact, I'm willing to bet that at this very moment, Sven is demanding to know why he didn't tell us before you took the tests. We should have been here with you!"

"He didn't tell you before the tests because I asked him not to," Allura said simply. "I needed to do a lot of thinking… and a lot of planning… I asked Hunk to recall the Voltron Force. There are contingencies in place, but I need to talk to them before I finalize anything."

"You mean that you need to talk to Keith before you finalize anything, right?" Romelle asked archly. "He deserves to know about Acair.

"He does," Allura agreed. "But he was on a long range mission and it was hardly the kind of news I could send a message about. "

"i don't see why not," Romelle retorted tongue in cheek. "When I was on Terra, I noticed that they had greeting cards for almost any occasion you can imagine. I'm sure I saw a Congratulations You're A Father card. In fact, I'm almost certain it had a black kitten on the cover too... although I now wonder if the intention was to congratulate a new father on the birth of his child or a new pet. Terran humor is quite confusing at times, do you not agree?"

The flicker of amusement in Allura's eyes warmed Romelle's heart. Her cousin did not have much opportunity to laugh recently so she took it upon herself to be as entertaining as possible, to lighten Allura's spirits.

Sven walked out to join Hunk at the foot of the Black Lion monument. "Are they on their final approach?"

"They should be landing any minute now." Hunk nodded. "I decided to wait out here. I'd really rather stay as far away from Lucrezia, you know?"

"She seems to rub everyone wrong," Sven noted.

"Oh, did she proposition you too?" Hunk laughed. "I wondered how long that would take. She seems to go for the ones with black hair." He considered something for a minute. "Crap. I may need to work on damage control. I'm sure she's going to try something with Keith."

"And speak of the devil, here he comes." Sven said, spotting the fractal approaching on the horizon.

A sudden sound, barely imperceptible but familiar to both men, made them look up. The Black Lion sat ready, the proud guardian of the Castle. Its eyes flashed golden as they watched. "Easy, boy. He's almost here." Hunk said, patting the monument walls. "I still remember the first time you did that. You scared me silly."

"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Sven said. "You always used to talk to your machines."

"They're easier to talk to than people sometimes. They do what they're expected to. What they're designed to."

"You're still upset about the potential assassin," Sven guessed.

"Damn straight, I am," Hunk nodded. "It's probably someone in the Castle. Those are the people I live with and work with everyday…. I know some of them don't agree with Allura's decisions... hell, I often don't myself. But I've never thought of killing her."

Sven's mouth quirked with the sly humor that he kept hidden from most people. "I should hope not. After all, you're the Captain of the Guard. It would be like putting a fox in the chicken coop."

Much to Sven's amusement, Hunk's response was to raise a single finger. Any verbal response made would not have been heard. Not when the Black Lion was on its feet, roaring a thunderous welcome to the only man Black recognized as his pilot.

With a huge grin on his face, he stepped forward, greeting the other members of the Force as they exited from the fractal with insults and manly slaps to the back. The lack of respect and restraint he got from the people who knew him as a person and not a personage was refreshing in a strange masochistic way. Being here among his old friends, feeling the camaraderie they had shared for years, made him realize just how different his life was now.

Keith shook his head as he entered the Great Hall of Castle of Lions with his team. The return to Arus was surreal. Things were fthe same but slightly different. He felt like he was watching alternative memories of his life play out.

It started when the Black roared it's greeting. He had half-expected his Lion's exuberance. While the other lions were hidden away in their dens, Black was always out in the open, the most public guard and champion of the Castle of Lions.

Coran stood by the foot of the stairs as he had when they first arrived on Arus. The Castle Diplomat had once faced them down with a spear in his hands, but today, he greeted them with a warm smile. Nanny had not been there when they arrived but she was here now, beaming at them and dabbing happy tears fromher eyes. Doctor Gorma stood behind her, as quiet and serious as ever, save for the respectful nod he offered Keith.

He looked up, to the landing at the top of the grand staircase. She was there, as she had been in the ruins the Castle had once been. Allura. His Princess. More beautiful now than she had been then. The innocent promise of the girl she had been tempered by strength and experience into a woman who took his breath away.

She descended the stairs and closed the space between them. When she finally reached him, she offered him a familiar shy smile. "Welcome home," she whispered, before acceding to tradition and offering him her right hand, palm downward.

Kneeling before her, Keith bent his head and gently kissed her hand, letting his lips linger a moment longer than protocol dictated. "Always and forever, I am yours," he said, poignantly repeating the vow he made on the day they first met… the vow that had shaped his life since that moment when it all began.

Their eyes met as he looked up. His were determined, hers flickered with a myriad of emotions. Hope and happiness mixed with sadness and apprehension. "Princess," he said as he stood up, somehow forgetting to release her hand.

"She's a Queen now, Keith," Lance reminded him, pulling him away from Allura. "And move away. It's our turn!"

Keith watched indulgently as Lance and Pidge took turns reaffirming their loyalty to the crown and the woman who bore it with grace and dignity. Annoyed as he was for the interruption, he knew that now was not the time. They needed to talk and they could do that at length later.


	6. Dinner and a Show

**Chapter 6: Dinner and A Show**

 _In The Present_

Dinner was served in the Arussian fashion, much to Hunk's obvious delight. Ever since Allura married Paulus, Nanny had taken to serving dinner in the Palomarian style. Hunk didn't like it at all. It was fussier and more formal. The way that food was displayed to the guests before being portioned and plated was dramatic and beautiful, but the delicious smells were torture to him.

Nanny had cooked all of the Force's favorite foods. There were steaks, lobsters, and salad, and snipe stuffed with wild mushrooms, nuts and truffles, and a complicated dish made of chicken-livers and rice and raisins and nuts. There were refreshing fruit platters and for dessert, a complicated dish made of ice cream smoked with the highest quality bourbon.

"I've forgotten how to eat this well," Lance said, finally removing his napkin from his lap and placing it on the table. He patted his stomach. "Nanny's cooking changes a man. It isn't easy having champagne tastes on a Garrison officer budget."

"At least you and Pidge were planet-side," Keith grinned. "It's not that hard to find a steak or hamburgers and grill. Try finding good food in the middle of deep space. Everything tastes like cardboard or gelatinous goo."

"My, I do love men with hearty appetites," Lucrezia purred, smiling seductively at Keith through lowered eyelashes. "I always thought that that the men who appreciated the finer things in life were the best lovers."

Hunk saw Keith straighten suddenly and noisily push his chair away from the table. He sighed inwardly. He knew this would happen. Lucrezia had a nasty tendency of groping the men she found attractive. a habit that had caused several diplomatic incidents over the years.

He could see from the way Allura's jaw was set as she studiously pushed her melting ice cream away from the sides of her plate that she knew what was going on as well.

This was not good. Hunk searched desperately for a way to defuse the situation before Allura exploded when Pidge spoke up, "If you're thinking about the link between aphrodisiacs and libido, from a historical and scientific standpoint, the alleged results may have been mainly due to mere belief by their users that they would be effective. To put it simply, it was just a placebo."

Lucrezia shot a baleful glance in Pidge's direction. He met it and continued speaking, "And you know, many medicines are reported to affect libido in inconsistent or idiopathic ways. It's difficult to assess their efficacy in enhancing or diminishing overall sexual desire because it all depends on the situation of subject."

Hunk heaved a sigh of relief. Despite the topic, the scientific nature of Pidge's response was the conversational equivalent of a wet blanket. It was passive-aggressiveness at its finest, a tactic Pidge had perfected over the years whenever someone tried to condescend to him because of his height or his age.

"And this, Your Majesty," Lucrezia complained, turning to Allura. "This is what I mean when I say that Arus is boring and devoid of culture. You must set the example. Surround yourself with sophistication! As it is, right now, Arus is a barren wasteland."

"Lucrezia, watch your words," Allura said quietly. "Do not speak ill of Pidge... or disrespect anyone else at this table. These people are the ones I love and trust most in the world. Had it not been for them, Arus really would have been the barren wasteland you claim it is."

"Ah yes. After the great onslaught… when everything changed."

Hunk's eyes narrowed. There was a thread of malice in Lucrezia's voice that set off his internal warning bells. His hand went to the blaster he always kept on his person.

The rest of the Force reacted to his sudden movement as he knew they would. It had been years since they worked together, but the habits of hours of training and battle still held true.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Sven tucking Romelle into his side while Keith shifted and turned to cover Allura. Lance was lounging casually with a hand in the pocket of his jacket, but Hunk knew that his friend had a blaster ready as well. Pidge looked like he was responding to a message on his pocket data pad but he was in all likelihood summoning the Castle Guard to backup should it be needed.

"What have you heard?" Coran asked. Hunk could hear the familiar alertness in the aged diplomat's voice disguised between his seemingly sleepy rumble and the relaxed position he effected, cradling a sniffer of the brandy he liked drinking after dinner.

Lucrezia gave an indolent shrug, "It was the day when everything changed. Millions died during the initial salvo, many more afterwards. Arussians are still feeling the effects… they call is skyfall, do they not?" When she turned to Allura, her eyes were bright with malice. "I have heard that you know more about Skyfall than most, is that not so, Your Majesty?"

Allura's expression was serene but her eyes were wary. "I am of Arus. That is why I have never left Arus, even on the darkest of days. I live as my people do and I suffer with them."

"A pretty sentiment, I'm sure. But that will be of small comfort to your people and to the young Prince. Your Majesty is a bright light, the loss of which will surely be missed."

Allura's response was careful, "My illness may take away my physical activities in time. It may touch my mind but it cannot touch my heart… That is precisely why I recalled the Voltron Force. I trust these men completely. I would trust them with Arus and with my son."

"This really isn't how we had planned to tell you," Coran turned to the Force and apologized, "but the countess brought it up… Nanny and I are getting on in years. We cannot guide Acair as we once did Allura. The Princess Romelle has her duties on Pollux and the heir to Arus simply cannot be raised on another planet."

"Then I should be his guardian!" Lucrezia exclaimed. "He is a Prince of Palomar. I will guide him as Paulus would have."

"No." Allura's refusal was firm. "Paulus agreed. Palomar has enough princes. It does not need another one. Acair is the only direct heir Arus has. He belongs to Arus as I do. If anything were to happen to me, guardianship of the Prince would pass to the Commander of the Voltron Force."

"How dare you dishonor Paulus so?" Lucrezia screeched, "Acair is his son! He should have been mine! Do you hear me, mine!" She picked up a knife from the table and brandished it at Allura. "I should have killed you a long time ago when I had the chance!"

"How long will it take Pidge to process the countess' belongings?" Coran asked, pouring snifters of brandy for himself and the Voltron Force.

"He'll finish when he finishes," Hunk said, declining the offer. "He hates it when I force him to check in. He complains like anything when I interrupt his train of thought so I thought I'd leave him be to do his thing. The waiting is harder but it'll get me my results faster."

"When did this all start?" Keith wondered, accepting the brandy that Coran handed him.

"If you mean this Lucrezia business, I suspect it's been brewing for about three years. Maybe longer," Coran commented. "Paulus went to his parents and told them that he wanted to marry Lucrezia. She was unacceptable to them. She was a divorcee and well… his grandmother found her … odious to borrow Princess Romelle's word." He took a sip of his brandy, "She offered him up when she heard that Allura was looking for a consort. She had hoped to separate the two, but Paulus refused unless Allura found a place for Lucrezia."

"Well, he had a lot of airs, but all in all, he was decent guy. I'll give him credit for that. He had terrible taste in women, but he never tried to make a play for the Lions." Hunk shrugged and thought for a moment, "He and Princess wouldn't have been friends otherwise."

"They had a lot in common," Sven said quietly. "They both suffered for loving the wrong person. Allura respected him for his commitment to Lucrezia. He loved her enough to fight for her to accompany him."

"Wow, Sven, when did you get in touch with your sensitive feminine side? Those insights are so… insightful," Lance asked.

"And of all of us, you're supposed to be the one who understands women," Sven marvelled. "Allura talks things over with Romelle, of course. And then Romelle tells me. I'm the only person she can talk to when things are told to her In confidence. It's the husband exception."

"So you knew about Acair?" Keith asked.

"As soon as Romelle found out," Sven grinned.

"His name was what cinched it for me. I did check though- the only other Acair in Arussian history was a king whose biggest accomplishment was building detailed replicas of castles his space mice." Lance said.

"I found out when Acair was born," Hunk murmured. "Allura was so out of it, she was rambling."

"That is when I knew for sure, as well," Coran nodded. "I suspected it when Allura had me negotiate the exclusion of her issue from the Palomarian succession while we were drawing up the contracts, but her reasoning made sense. Paulus was the twelfth in line anyway, so unless something drastic happened, he would not have inherited the throne."

"I'm wondering if Lucrezia had something to do with that," Hunk said thoughtfully. "Remember… there were some proteins in Allura's blood stream that Gorma couldn't trace. He thought it may have been an allergic reaction to amniotic fluid or something but he wasn't sure."

"I suspect that Lucrezia has much to account for," Coran said. "I now wonder if she tampered with Allura's saddle and caused Paulus' accident. He was riding Allura's horse after all." He took a sip of his brandy. "Perhaps guilt drove her insane."

"Well if she wasn't insane then, she's well off her rocker now," Hunk said, checking his datapad. "The guards keeping watch over her are sending me transcripts of her raving. I've ordered her restrained for her own safety, but I'll feel much better once we can send her back to Palomar, where she belongs."

"She tried to kill Allura and threatened Acair," Lance protested. "Shouldn't she be brought to justice here?"

"Unfortunately, the countess has diplomatic immunity," Coran said. "Palomar is not willing to waive it because of the scandal that would undoubtedly ensure once the press sniffs it out. We will have to settle for quietly expelling her and trusting the Palomarian sense of decorum to make sure that she disappears."

Lance rolled his eyes. "I'll bet anyone a bottle of the alcohol of their choice that despite everything Lucrezia did, when she's transferred back to Palomar, the ship will also be carrying a letter from Allura requesting clemency."

"I'm not taking your bet," Sven snorted. "Romelle messaged me. Allura was going to draft one before she turned in, but she looked so tired that Romelle offered to write it so Allura could rest."

Coran smiled, "And knowing how the Princess feels, I do not expect this appeal to be very eloquent."

Conversation stopped when Pidge burst into the room, announcing. "I need to run some more tests but I'm pretty sure Lucrezia was poisoning Allura. I found some vials hidden underneath a false panel in her jewelry box. I'm willing to bet that the effects of the poison mimic skyfall. That's why Gorma thought it was atypical."

"History tells us that killing someone with poison requires careful planning and subterfuge," Coran said. "The Countess was the Queen's Lady of the Bedchamber. She had access to Allura's suite."

"Well, I'm going to run my tests, but I doubt the poison was added to something Allura's food or drink. The emergence of the symptoms were too gradual. I suspect the poison was administered topically, so she probably put the poison on something Allura would touch often." Pidge noted.

"The Blue Lion Key," Hunk said. "Allura always has it. She'll play with it when she needs to think… Keith, why don't you come with me and brief Allura. I'll grab the Key and bring it to Pidge for testing."

Keith and Hunk made their way through the Castle without speaking, each occupied with their thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Keith," Hunk finally said at last. "I should have known something was up with Lucrezia. Allura got hurt on my watch. That never should've happened."

"Shit happens, Hunk," Keith replied. "We make calls every day. Sometimes they're the right ones and sometimes they're not." He sighed heavily, "And to be honest, I'm not exactly in a position to cast blame. You were here. I wasn't."

"Don't be too hard on yourself- we all know you would have been here if you had a choice," Hunk protested. "Princess doesn't blame you. She never did. If ever, she blamed herself for letting you go, for not being strong enough to fight for you."

Keith shrugged and let the matter drop. He had something else on his mind, "You said something earlier... about when Acair was born. What happened?"

"Oh," Hunk said. The look that flashed across his features told Keith that the memory was not a pleasant one. "We had breakfast, then Allura went back to her suite to prepare for a meeting with Paulus… something about subsidies for farmers to shift production to crops needed for Palomarian industry… or something like that... She was late, but he didn't worry at first. It was a boring topic after all… when she didn't show, he messaged me so I went looking for her. I found her in her suite, unconscious and rushed her to Doctor Gorma."

Hunk breathed in deeply before continuing. "It was touch and go for a while. Allura's blood pressure was skyrocketing. Doctor Gorma was trying to stabilize it. We were worried we were going to lose them both. She was delirious. And she kept on talking to you, telling you about the baby, asking you to take care of him of something happened to her."

He shook his head, "Paulus stepped in. He pretended to be you... he needed to, she wouldn't calm down otherwise... Her blood pressure was so high even with medication, that Doctor Gorma worried about her having a stroke."

Hunk stuck his hands into his pockets. "And once Allura stabilized, Paulus went off with Coran and hammered out the agreement giving you guardianship of Acair if anything happened to her… They had her sign it as soon as she was lucid enough to hold a pen."

Keith whistled softly. "I was prepared to hate him. But if he were alive, I think it would have been my pleasure to buy him a drink."

Hunk chuckled. "You would have liked him. I think if things were different, if you had let yourself like him, the two of you would have been good friends."


	7. Night Time Confessions

**Chapter 7: Night Time Confessions**

 _In The Present_

Keith found himself deposited outside another chamber in Allura's wing. She hadn't been in her suite, which Hunk said meant that Acair had probably woken up and started fussing. Acair didn't have a night nurse, Hunk said, so if he needed anything, Allura would see to it herself.

He knocked quietly but upon receiving no response, quietly opened the door. He paused for a moment, unsure of what he would find, entered and discovered a small sanctuary to childhood.

A lullaby played in the background, so soft it was barely above a whisper. The air was fragrant with lavender and bergamot. Five stuffed Voltron lions, lounged on a carpet bearing the Royal Crest of Arus. Each large enough for a child to ride or for an adult to use as a pillow.

In the dim light that filled the room, he could see Allura curled up against their son, protecting him even in her sleep. His brow furrowed with worry as he saw the fragility she kept hidden behind her makeup and gowns - the weight she had lost was painfully obvious, as were the petechia that marred the skin he remembered as flawless and creamy.

Keith's attention went to Acair and his eyes softened at his first sight of his son. The picture Pidge had just didn't do the little boy justice. Acair was still plump with the remnants of babyhood but Keith had a feeling that it wouldn't last much longer. He got the impression of a tightly coiled spring, ready to burst into action at the slightest provocation.

In sleep, a stubborn lock of black hair fell across Acair's forehead, much as it did over Keith's own. The little boy had a small black lion clutched close to his chest, a companion in dreamland adventures Keith could well imagine, based on the way that Acair's eyelids fluttered and his legs twitched.

Keith settled into a chair close to the bed, his heart full as he watched over his family's dreams. He had never been a religious man, but he found himself praying for someone- anyone- to spare the life of the woman he thought he would never have.

* * *

Allura couldn't say what woke her, only it was the sense that there was something different. Keeping her eyes closed and breathing regular, she tensed her muscles, readying herself for either fight or flight, while she listened and tried to make sense of what was happening around her.

"It's okay, love, it's just me," someone whispered, his voice familiar and very much loved. "I'm sure that you have a few weapons hidden around but I'd really appreciate it if you could avoid killing me until after I met my son."

Allura opened her eyes to find Keith kneeling beside the bed. She reached out to gently touch his cheek, marvelling at the rough texture under her fingers. Her dreams were never this detailed. "You're here. I wasn't dreaming. You're really here."

"I never should have gone," Keith said bluntly, covering her hand with one of his own. "I should have been here for you." He glanced at Acair for a moment, before turning back to her. "I should have been here for BOTH of you."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You're here now. That's what counts." She smoothed away the moisture she felt with her thumb but said nothing else. She didn't have the words, an unusual circumstance considering what she was, who she was, so instead, she pulled his head down and kissed him, letting her kiss say all that she could not.


	8. It All Comes Together

**Chapter 8: It All Comes Together**

 _In The Present_

When Allura woke up next, she was in her suite, warm in her bed, cradled in Keith's arms and he was nibbling the sensitive spot where her shoulder met her neck. "Good morning, love," he said huskily. "You asked me to wake you up at 6."

She turned in his arms, resting her cheek on his chest and curling her arm around his waist. This was how they had spent the night, in her bed, talking, holding each other, simply content to be together again, for whatever time they had.

Urging her closer, he moved his hand to the back of her head and while his fingers began to play with her hair. She luxuriated in the feel of him for a moment longer while she mustered up the willpower to start her day.

"We need to get up," she said as she dropped a kiss to the center of his chest. She might have said more, but the familiar sounds of morning in the Castle were getting louder. She got out of bed and pulled on her robe. She opened a dresser and pulled out one of his old academy shirts, tossing it to him. "Incoming bogie, Commander. You'll need this."

Keith shot her a puzzled glance but did as she requested. No sooner had he put it on when the door burst open without warning and a miniature tornado bounced into the room with his black lion plushie trailing behind him. "Mama, Aca 'wake!"

Kneeling, Allura opened her arms for a hug. "Good morning, my dearest… good morning Blackie… I have a surprise for you. Look who arrived last night!" She urged Acair to turn around, keeping an arm around him as she did so.

The little boy stopped for a moment and stared at Keith. His brow furrowed in a familiar look of concentration. "Dack," he said at last. "Dack's home. Hohway!" Leaving the shelter of Allura's arms, he ran to Keith, hugging him around his knees,

The factual declaration startled Keith, even as instinct had him picking up his son. He looked to Allura for an explanation.

"It was Paulus' idea… He taught Acair to call him Papa, since that was the term that his family used but he wanted Acair to have a special name for you… Dad was risky - too many people know what it means to Terrans, so he came up with Dack. He thought it was close enough to Black for people not to comment."

Keith's smile was rueful, "And I have yet another reason to buy Paulus a drink…"

"Legally, we were married, but there was nothing between us, other than friendship." Allura confessed. "I'm not sure that there could have ever been... I hadn't gotten over you and in his heart, he was married to Lucrezia…. It's because of him that I bore with her for so long. This entire situation would have broken his heart. He loved her so…"

"I sure hope you haven't gotten over me," Keith teased, pressing a kiss onto her lips as he tucked Acair into his side. "Because I couldn't get over you, no matter how hard I tried."

"Oh really now?" Allura shot back. She forgot whatever retort she might have made when she noticed what her son was doing, "oh Acair, don't pull Dack's hair like that! You wouldn't like it if someone pulled your hair, would you?"

"No. Aca no wike. Hurts!"

"So don't do it!" Allura huffed, exasperated. While this was all new to Keith, the do-not-pull-hair-when-you-want-someone-to-mind-you conversation was one she and Acair had everyday, more than once a day.

"Your mom's right Aca," Keith pronounced solemnly, even though his eyes danced with suppressed laughter. "You shouldn't pull hair… if you do, I might get distracted and drop you… just like this." With that, Keith tossed their son onto the bed and proceeded to tickle him silly.

Allura curled up on a comfortable chair and contentedly watched her boys play. She closed her eyes and let the comforting sound of Keith's low laugh and Acair's delighted giggles wash over her.

He would be a good father. She had known from the way he interacted with the orphans they used to visit during the war that he would be, but the pride and wonder on his face as he played with Acair were something she hadn't expected.

His husky voice interrupted her reverie, "Allura, was it like this for you?"

"Excuse me?"

"When I saw him for the first time… it felt like a hit to the solar plexus. I...I couldn't think about anything but him. It's like he was the answer to every question I had about myself- about who I am, who I should be, and who I want to be." Keith said, his eyes serious even as he allowed their son to clamber and climb all over him.

"It's amazing, isn't it? How instantaneous the love is." Allura smiled. "For me, it was when I felt him kick for the first time... I knew what love was… I mean, I've loved you since I first met you, but I didn't really understand how all consuming it could be until I felt him growing inside me."

Keith stood up, with Acair in a fireman's carry on his shoulders, much to the little boy's delight. "So you're going to fight, right? Pidge is hardly ever wrong, but if he is… Promise me and Acair that you'll fight this with everything you have. We need you here with us."

Allura smiled and wrapped her arms around Keith, bussing a noisy kiss on Aca's nose as she did so. "That's an easy promise to make. I'm not giving up. I can't. Not now. Not when we finally have all that we wanted. All that we thought we could never have."

"Good," Keith shot back, turning himself to protect Allura from Aca's flailing legs . "And you still haven't set a date for marrying me."

"Let's let everything settle down first," Allura said pragmatically. "I know things are different now, but I just want you to be sure."

"I am sure. I've always been sure. You... Acair... It's all I ever wanted." Keith murmured quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

* * *

Breakfast was a tradition the the Force had begun soon upon arriving on Arus and it was one Allura had insisted on continuing, even after they went their separate ways. On most days, it was just her, Coran and Hunk. Paulus often joined and was welcomed, but even then, it still remained the family affair it had been.

Keith and Allura made their way to the breakfast room with Altair skipping along between them. He broke away as they approached and ran ahead, scrambling onto Hunk's lap, "Wook! Aca wake Mama and Dack!"

Allura blushed furiously at the knowing smiles the Force sent their way. She was a widow now. In a perfect world, she would have been sophisticated and worldly but being about her family turned her into blushing, awkward teenager she had once been.

"Nothing happened!" Allura protested, trying hard to ignore the wicked laugh that emerged from her cousin's mouth before Romelle assumed the bland expression of a professional diplomat.

"Nothing, eh? Keith, I'm disappointed," Lance smirked. "I would have thought that you'd make more of an impression. Being together, after all these years, I would have expected more than… nothing."

Keith took the opportunity to press his suit. "See, Allura? That's why you need to marry me. We need to manage perception."

"Be that as it may, nothing happened!" Allura protested once again. "We spent the night talking!"

"And I'm sure you did talk. None of us need to know about anything else you may or may not have done before or after TALKING," Romelle assured her.

Keith, curse the man, was not the least bit embarrassed. He even had the temerity to laugh at Romelle's antics as he fixed up a plate, loaded with more food than even Hunk could eat.

"That's too much," Allura blinked when he placed it in front of her. "I couldn't possibly eat that much."

He silenced her with a quick kiss. "You promised. Just try to eat as much as you can, alright?"

"Dack and Mama kiss again," Acair told Hunk solemnly, an observation that had the rest of the Force laughing again.

"Does Acair really wake up that early?" Keith asked when the merriment died down. "He was up by six!"

"That late? My goodness, you slept in today!" Hunk laughed and poked Acair gently, making him giggle. He turned to Keith "Sleep is not a priority with this one. It gets in the way of more interesting things… like eating and playing… and causing all sorts of mischief and mayhem."

"I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Pidge laughed. "I woke up at 5:30 and I panicked because for a moment, I thought I was late for Lion Practice."

"I really don't know what you mean," Keith said, tongue-in-cheek. "My grandfather always used to say idle hands are the devil's workshop, so I just wanted to keep you all out of trouble. God knows what mischief you'd have gotten into if you weren't all busy."

"Fu-" Lance began, only to stop mid-curse. "Fiddlesticks!" he said instead, throwing a grape at his friend for emphasis.

"Lance!" Allura scolded, cocking her head towards her son. "If someone here picks up on what you were about to say and what you just did, you're going to have to talk to Nanny. She hasn't given up hope on having a well-mannered, well-behaved Prince of Arus yet."

Lance looked puzzled, "I thought that's why you were going to marry Keith…. To give Nanny exactly what she wanted!"

"She's agreed in principle," Keith said, directing his appeal to Coran. "But I think I'm going to need your help convincing her to finalize all the details. I'd marry her today, if it were at all possible, but she wants to wait. I don't think it's appropriate though since Acair caught us in a compromising position.

"Nothing happened- all we did was talk!" Allura sputtered as she tried to swat him on the shoulder. She was thwarted when Keith caught her hand and kissed it, refusing to relinquish it even as she tried to pull away.

"If we're going the full disclosure route, we did a lot of kissing too," he said. "You should know by now, that I use any and all advantages available when I want something... We were caught in a compromising situation and I'm not above feeding the grapevine if it helps convince you. Word will get around, y'know... I wouldn't be surprised if half the continent knew about it by lunch."

The rest of the meal passed in a similar fashion. Laughter and smiles were not in short supply. At least until Nanny ushered Doctor Gorma into the room.

Reaching for Keith's hand under the table, Allura clutched it nervously. Doctor Gorma was not in the habit of making house-calls outside of emergencies. He prefered to send messages to his patients, inviting them to visit him in his office at their earliest convenience.

"Your Majesty, may I have a word with you in private?"

Allura looked around at the worried faces around the room. They were her family. They deserved to know. This affected all of them. Still clutching Keith's hand, she shook her head. "No, Doctor, if this is about the results of my tests, whatever you have to tell me, you may tell them."

He nodded, "Pidge was right, Your Majesty. It was not skyfall. It was a cleverly designed-poison. I have been in contact with Palomar already. They are familiar with the compound. It's an ancient formula distilled from their native flora so they have an antidote ready. We should have it when our fractal returns, by this time tomorrow."

Allura stared at him blankly. "I'm going to be alright?"

Doctor Gorma smiled, "After completing the course of the antidote, you will be… as long as you rest and eat properly that is!"

The room exploded in a cacophony of noise. The boys cheered, Nanny cried, Romelle squealed. Keith pulled Allura up into his arms and expressed his happiness in a very public fashion.

"Dack and Mama kissing AGAIN," Acair sighed.

Allura felt Keith's shoulder shake with laughter at their son's words just before he lifted his head and turned to their son and said, "I hope you don't mind me kissing your Mama. It's just that… I have a nasty habit of kissing people when I'm happy."

Acair considered Keith's words for a moment before giving him a hug, "That's okay, Dack. Aca has nasty habits too."

Allura could see relief in Keith's smile but she knew her son. She had a feeling that Keith's reprieve would be short lived. She wasn't proven wrong.

"What nasty habit do you have kiddo?" Keith asked. His desire to get to know the boy better obvious to everyone in the room.

"Aca like snot."

She couldn't describe the look that crossed Keith's face. By nature and training, he was fastidious to a fault. She bit back a laugh and saw the other adults struggling to do so as well.

"Well, I don't like snot, but I do like you." Keith offered at last when he recovered his composure. "And I like Black too. Maybe after breakfast, you could come with me to visit him?"

But Allura had an even better idea. She looked at Pidge and said, "If you're finished with the key to the Blue Lion, maybe you boys could take the lions out? They miss you and I'm sure they'd love to stretch their legs."

Romelle agreed, "You know, since Aca's never even seen Voltron in the flesh."

Aca gasped, "Voltron?"

Coran smiled indulgently at the little boy. "Didn't you know? Your Dack and uncles are the Voltron Force."

"As is your mother," Sven interjected, "Never forget, young Prince. Women are just as capable as men. Your mother and your Aunt are proof of that"

"Well, not today," Allura said, shaking her head. "I hope you don't mind, Sven… but perhaps you could fly Blue? I don't think I could - or should! - pull the g's you're sure to. I promised to take it easy after all."

Nanny nodded approvingly, "Finally, you show some good sense, Your Majesty. Would you like to sit in the gardens? I could have a pavilion set up for you."

Keith chuckled as he stood up, "Well, it looks like you have everything well in hand… Nanny, maybe you and Romelle could get Allura to start planning."

"Planning?" Allura looked at Keith quizzically and noted his expression. She felt a tendril of worry slide down her spine- that was the same look Acair got whenever he had something up his sleeve.

"Our wedding," Keith said solemnly, quickly making a strategic retreat before Allura could throw something at him.


End file.
